Merz's survival hinges on coalition-breaking, as indicated by AfD poll results, suggestively hinting at potential coalition-shattering moves by the party leader.
After 100 days in office, Chancellor Friedrich Merz's approval rating has taken a hit, primarily due to unmet expectations in key areas such as migration and the economy. According to a recent survey by Infratest dimap, only one in three Germans is satisfied with Merz's politics, making it the lowest rating for any chancellor at this stage of their tenure.
The new Chancellor has faced criticism from political scientists and analysts for his lack of decisive governance and clear policy direction. They believe that Merz needs to restore voter trust by delivering tangible improvements in economic policy and migration management to stop the rise of the far-right AfD.
Andreas Püttmann, a political scientist, attributes the low approval ratings to a dip in the polls when governments encounter the conflict-ridden aspects of daily business. He also criticises Merz's personnel policy, suggesting that the CDU should integrate more sympathy bearers into federal politics.
Püttmann also believes that the Union's focus on migration as a topic is not effective. Instead, he calls for a more differentiated discussion on migration and a stronger emphasis on the housing crisis of young people. He argues that the Union must re-communicate the demographic challenge, focusing on the need for people in general, not just highly qualified engineers.
Werner Patzelt, another political scientist, sees the main problem for the Union in the coalition partner, the SPD, due to their pressure from the left wing. He does not blame the current Merz government for the strong AfD, but rather attributes it to the mistakes of Angela Merkel. However, he sees an opportunity for the Conservatives to gain profile through a break in the coalition and a minority government that, in individual cases, may vote with the AfD to avoid new elections where the AfD would win.
Patzelt also argues that the AfD is no longer a pure protest party. He criticises the Union's tougher migration policy, intended to halve the voter number of the AfD, as ineffective. He believes that the window of opportunity to win back voters from the AfD has closed.
Püttmann is particularly critical of the appointment of judges by the Union, particularly attributing it to Mr. Spahn and the Union's allegedly arrogant attitude towards churches. He suggests that the Union should replace the faction leader, citing Mr. Spahn as providing enough reasons for this.
In a more positive note, the new newsletter "Unterm Strich" provides exclusive insights into political operations, interviews, and analyses from the Agenda editorial team of IPPEN.MEDIA, delivered every Friday.
[1] [Source 1] [2] [Source 2] [3] [Source 3]
- Criticisms towards Chancellor Friedrich Merz's governance have increased, with political scientists and analysts faulting him for a lack of clear direction in policy-and-legislation, particularly in the areas of migration and economy.
- Andreas Püttmann, a political scientist, believes that Merz needs to focus on improving general-news areas such as the housing crisis and demographic challenge, rather than solely addressing migration, to regain voter trust and prevent the rise of the far-right AfD.
- Werner Patzelt, another political scientist, argues that the Union's tougher migration policy has proven ineffective in reducing the voting base of the AfD, and instead suggests the Union should focus on their relations with the coalition partner, the SPD, to prevent further gains by the far-right party.
